I'm Here Now
by boombands
Summary: She wanted to run to him. Wanted him to hold her, wanted to feel safe. Though she was weak he gave her strength. She would not allow Bellatrix to know the truth, not about the sword. It was the sword that had brought Ron back to her.R/H full summary insid


A/N: I was reading another fanfiction and this idea hit me

A/N: The Malfoy Manor chapter from Hermione's view, and also what happens between the two when they get to Shell cottage. What goes through her head as she is tortured by Bellatrix and what she feels as she hears Ron calling out for her.

Obviously some of the text is from the book, which I clearly don't own or Sirius would still be alive.

"Wait." Said Bellatrix sharply, "All except…except for the mudblood."

Hermione could feel the blood rush from her face, from her head and toes and all of her extremities. She wanted to scream, wanted to cry and call out for her mother like a child, but she didn't she stood there and didn't say anything. She wouldn't give this woman the pleasure. Wouldn't give any of them the pleasure of knowing how terrified she really was.

Then she heard it. "No." Ron shouted, "You can have me, keep me!"

She looked at him and he was looking at her, she tried to plead with him, to stop. The last thing she wanted was for him to go through it. Not Ron. But their gaze was broken as Bellatrix struck him. She couldn't help it, Hermione let out a whimper. She was scared, terrified to the core but anger rose up in her chest, returning heat to her body.

Bellatrix took her, dragging her by her hair and Hermione had to resist the urge to scream to fight. It was no use. The realization she could die here hit her but she pushed it to the back of her mind. She put her mind on other things, going over mundane lists in her head. She thought of the twelve uses of Dragon's Blood.

"So pretty little mudblood, where did you get this sword." Bellatrix asked her eyes full of anger, and maybe fear.

Hermione didn't say a word but looked Bellatrix in the eyes.

Bellatrix drew back her hand hitting Hermione so hard she fell over her back smashing into something hard.. "Don't look me in the eyes mudblood." She drew her wand and flicked it and Hermione stood up against her will.

"I'm going to ask you again where did you get this sword." Bellatrix asked her wand pointing at Hermione.

Hermione knew she shouldn't make her angrier, she didn't plan on it, her back was aching and her knees felt ready to give way after being forced to move against her will. But suddenly the image of Ron came into her head, of him offering to take her place and without thinking she spit on Bellatrix.

"Crucio!" Bellatrix bellowed.

Hermione was no longer strong. She was weak. The pain was excruciating. She could hear herself screaming. She wanted to die, she hoped and prayed to die. And then it ended. She hadn't realized it but she had fallen against a wall. Everyone in the room was looking at her. She tried to move but slumped back down.

"HERMIONE." She heard Ron's voice come from somewhere below her. "HERMIONE! HERMIONE!" She wanted to run to him. Wanted him to hold her, wanted to feel safe. Though she was weak he gave her strength. She would not allow Bellatrix to know the truth, not about the sword. It was the sword that had brought Ron back to her.

"YOU STOLE THIS YOU STUPID GIRL. HOW DID YOU GET INTO MY VAULT?"

Hermione took a deep breath it entered her lungs like knives. "We…we found it." Then again the pain. Through it she focused on Ron's voice. Screaming her name. Please let me see him again she prayed, prayed to whoever there was to pray to. It stopped, her throat hurt from screaming her whole body hurt.

'I'm going to ask you again! Where did you get this sword. Where?" Bellatrix was close to her.

"We found it--we found it—PLEASE!" She screamed as Bellatrix's mouth formed words. But the pain hit again. But it stopped sooner this time.

"Don't like it mudblood then tell me where did you get this sword."

"We found it. I promise. Please stop I can't tell you anything else. We found it." Hermione begged. She didn't want to die here. She wanted to live, wanted to grow old not die here, not like this.

"You are lying, filthy Mudblood, and I know it! You have been inside my vault at Gringotts! Tell the truth, tell the truth!" And this time she didn't even wait for Hermione to answer but instead bellowed the words.

Hermione didn't think she could take much more. She didn't want to die but part of her hoped for it. Hoped for anything to stop the pain. Hearing Ron screaming her name was the only thing she could cling to, the only thing that proved there was more to life than this pain. She was someone, she had a life, people who cared for her. There was something to live for.

It stopped again but not really. Hermione was still in pain. Through the pain she heard Bellatrix, asking what else she had taken. She threatened to run her through with the knife, and Hermione half wondered why she thought this would scare her, getting stabbed couldn't be worse than what was happening to her now.

"Nothing! I swear. Please! Please! I have never been in your vault."

This time Bellatrix struck her and she stumbled back.

"What else did you take, what else? ANSWER ME! CRUCIO."

Hermione was sobbing begging her to stop. She could hear Ron, she hoped he would get away. Never let this happen to him. Never let him feel this pain.

"How did you get in my vault? Did that dirty little goblin in the cellar help you?" Bellatrix looked like a mad woman.

"We only met him tonight!" Hermione could feel the tears run hot down her face. "We've never been inside your fault…It isn't the real sword! It's a copy, just a copy."

"A copy!" Bellatrix's voice as high, piercing, "Oh, a likely story!"

For the first time Lucius' spoke, "But we can find out easily. Draco, fetch the goblin, he can tell us whether the sword is real or not."

Bellatrix looked at Hermione, "I suppose we have no use for you anymore do we?" She said laughing. "Not that there was ever use for filthy Mudbloods." She flicked her wand and Hermione flew into the wall. She fell down.

The world was swimming, She was dying she knew it. Everything seemed to be getting darker. She tried to call out, not for her mother but instead for Ron, but no noise came out. And then Hermione knew no more.

She must no be dead she thought, though she could feel blood running down her face. Something was on top of her and she tried to push it off but her body wouldn't move. Suddenly she was moving, someone was pulling her out. She opened her eyes with much difficulty and made out a figure, could see red hair. "Ron."

"You're going to be okay." He said pulling her up.

She put her weight against him she couldn't hold herself up. The world was going in and out of view. She could see the chandelier had fallen on her. She could feel cuts all over her body. There was yelling around her. She tried to focus on the words but she couldn't. "I don't want to die."

"I won't let you die." Ron said looking her dead in the eyes before looking away.

Hermione let the darkness engulf her, the desire to not feel pain anymore overtook her.

When she woke again Fleur was standing over her. She looked around, she didn't know where she was. "Where's Ron?"

"Outside, with ze others, Arry is burying the ouse elf."

"Dobby?" Hermione felt a pain stab in her heart. "He's dead."

"I am afraid so. I 'ah to tell Ron to leave. 'E was doing no good, only upsetting 'imself more."

"I need to see him." Hermione said sitting up.

"No you need to lie down." Fleur said impatiently putting a hand on Hermione.

Hermione pushed her hand aside getting up, she had to steady herself on the bed. "I need to see him."

"Fine." She said helping Hermione put on a dressing robe and following her outside.

Ron made her way to Ron, feeling as if she would fall over the entire time. She was thankful when Ron put an arm around her. She stood silent as they paid their respects to Dobby. As they walked back into the cottage she put an arm around Ron, stopping him in the hall as the others made their way to the sitting room. She sat down against the wall.

"Are you okay?" Ron asked sitting down too.

I'll manage." She saidleaning against him. He wrapped his arms around her. "I could hear you calling my name."

"I was scared. I don't think I've ever been so scared before in my life, or so angry. It should have been me."

Hermione took his hand, lacing their fingers. She gave his hand a squeeze. "Don't say that. It shouldn't have been anybody."

"I would have done it you know. I would have taken your place."

Hermione looked at him, his eyes were full of tears but he held her gaze. "I know you would have." She wiped a tear off of his face and leaned back against him.

"I'm sorry I left you and Harry. It was stupid. I'm so stupid, and I'm so sorry. I just kept thinking that if you died I would have wasted all that time I could have had with you."

"I'm here now." Hermione whispered bringing his hand to her mouth and kissing it. "_I'm here now_."


End file.
